Planning Inside The Box

June 9, 2021

Dear John,

“We have a garden plot!”

Three Fridays back you happily announced that we had an email that there was a plot available and we were, finally, at the top of the waiting list.

Saturday morning, we went to look at the plot and started weeding. The member coordinator said it’d be a lot of work, and they’d keep us at the top of the waitlist if we couldn’t commit. I was a little hesitant, but knew that we’d waited long enough.

We weeded. Left the volun-beans alone. Pruned rosemary. Cut and dried oregano (so much oregano). Uncovered a tomato plant. Identified dill. Harvested onions that were no longer underground. Took pictures to try to determine if that sprout is a squash. The algorithm says 40% sure it’s a melon. We haven’t pulled it yet.

It took a ten days to get the wood to rebuild.* A few more weekdays to assemble and fill with soil.

Meanwhile, we plotted about what to plant, interviewing your mom about square foot gardening and looking through websites that sell heirloom seeds. It’s late to start from seeds here, so we asked around until we found a source for ground cherry and tomatillo seedlings. While we were there, we picked up heirloom tomatoes–cherry, roma, and beefsteak–and peppers–both hot and sweet. Basil and cilantro and Mexican mint marigold and basil. Eggplant and cucumber.

By this Sunday, we had everything in the ground.

Now we water and wait. And keep weeding.

Love,

~Sarah

Produce This Week

We’re still working on cutting back the oregano and rosemary. I expect they won’t thrive as much in the humidity of summer.

It’s worth stopping by the berry bramble as you leave the garden. When I looked yesterday the raspberries were darkening from pink to purple. Soon, they promise. Soon.

Plans For the Produce

There’s more of the herbs than we can use right now, so they’re getting dried. Honestly, a peanut butter jar filled with oregano is more than we will use in the coming year, so we’re already on mission give things away. For the herbs, I’m thinking we’ll package them in snack bags and offer them at the food pantry.

I don’t expect any more of the onions to need to be pulled. But if I’m wrong, they’ll probably end up getting chopped and tossed in the jar with the others already quick pickled. Check the recipe on Budget Bytes if they need more brine.

*I have a full on rant about how in a community garden the physical structure of the raised beds, and the soil to fill them should be community maintained over the fall/winter. Rather than putting the full cost and labor on whoever is the unlucky plot sharer who happens to get the plot in a year when it needs to be rebuilt. And, honestly, I think I’d still have this opinion even if lumber prices weren’t rocketing up.